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5 Ways To Naturally Treat and Prevent BV and Yeast Infections

November 14, 2015

Over the years I’ve seen many patients who get recurrent BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) Infections and/or Yeast Infections. BV is actually much more common, making up the majority of all vaginal infections. It can be asymptomatic in many cases, but can also result in unusual discharge or a fishy odor. Yeast Infections are an overgrowth of Candida albicans yeast. They make up only 33% of all vaginal infections. The major symptoms are clumpy white discharge, itching, pain and irritation during sex. It is very important that neither type of infection go untreated- both can lead to PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease), increased susceptibility to STD’s, and in pregnancy, untreated BV can result in pre-term birth and low birth weight.  Read more

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Struggling To Kick The Caffeine Habit? Here’s How…

October 15, 2015

Over the summer, I accidentally got hooked on coffee. I didn’t even realize it until the first day I didn’t have any. I vowed to cut it out by the end of the summer, strictly because I didn’t like being reliant on something. In situations where a cup of coffee is difficult to get (camping), I didn’t want to deal with the headache (literally!) of not having it. Plus, I like the idea of having coffee as an occasional treat or energy boost when I really need it, as opposed to something I feel terrible without.

Is caffeine really so bad for you? It depends.. Read more

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What Is A Pulsatility Index, And Why Is It So Important For Fertility?

September 24, 2015

If you’re trying to get pregnant, you should care about your Pulsatility Index. What? One more thing to keep track of? By the way, what in tarnation is a Pulsatility Index?

A Pulsatility Index (PI) is a measurement of the blood flow through your arteries- specifically, the ones going to your ovaries and uterus. Read more

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BBT Charting, Fertility and Acupuncture: What’s The Connection?

August 26, 2015

Whenever a woman comes to acupuncture looking to increase her fertility, in most cases I ask for BBT charts (or recommend she start charting). If you’re asking what a BBT is, click here for an explanation. BBT charts are clinically useful to me as an acupuncturist for many reasons. First, if there is a clear temperature shift midcycle, I know the woman is ovulating, and on which day ovulation is taking place. If the length of the follicular (pre-ovulatory) phase is consistently between 12-20 days, and if the luteal (post-ovulatory) phase is consistently between 11-16 days, I’m fairly confident that things are normal and any fertility issue is not with ovulation. In addition, the basal body temperatures should be within a certain range. If they are significantly lower or higher than I typically see, it could indicate a thyroid dysfunction which should be checked out by a physician.  Read more

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Just The Basics: BBT Charting

August 25, 2015

What if I told you there’s science-backed method to reliably prevent pregnancy- without being on the pill? Also-using this method you can predict the exact day you’ll get your period- two weeks out? Yes indeed, no more mid-meeting surprises or ruined white pants! It’s technically called FAM, or Fertility Awareness Method, but is more commonly referred to as BBT (Basal Body Temperature) Charting. It’s incredibly easy and takes no more time than popping a birth control pill every day. Here are the details: Read more